2018 ROUND UP

(Better late than never right?)

WHOOPS. Raise your hand if you haven’t blogged since August…..Here to make up for it is a great big bumper post featuring some of my absolute favourite moments from the last year.

These images are jam packed with all the emotion and sifting through the thousands of images I’ve taken through 2018 has been a really cathartic process after time seemed to run away with me and suddenly we’re in Feb 2019 already! It was a pretty hard task, skimming down from an initial 800 images that I loved - there are SO many laughs and cries I’ve shared with all this lovely lovely lot. From teeny intimate elopements to huge parties with silent discos, I loved every single wedding I’ve been at this year.

None of this would be possible without the amazing people who’ve booked me to capture their big day and another year coming away with a whole bunch of new friends who I already feel I’ve known for years is blimmin’ awesome.

I am so excited for the year to come - 2019 - come at me - I’m ready!!

SOUTHBANK PRE-WEDDING SHOOT // ELEANOR + GORDON

I love London on a sunny day and this was a perfect Spring morning to spend with Eleanor and Gordon for their pre-wedding shoot , taking a stroll in one of their favourite London spots, Southbank. There was a fresh breeze and plenty of sunshine, and these two although a little bit nervous were working the camera like complete pros!!

Their wedding is on Saturday, so tomorrow I'll be hopping in the car to travel up to the lovely Shropshire all ready for their day. Here's a few of my favourites from our time at Southbank <3

Warleigh Weir Pre-Wedding // Beth + Jack

OH MY DAYS. This summer is flying by!! It hardly seems like last month when Beth sent me an email about her and Jack's wedding day (that was in February), and barely seems like last week that we went for a splash around for their pre-wedding shoot down at Warleigh Weir (back in June). This heatwave has warped time! Tomorrow is the big day for Beth + Jack, who are getting married down in Dorset!

We last met up at Warleigh Weir near Bath for their pre-wedding shoot and a catch up about plans. As it's been super hot and super bright, these ace pair agreed to meet me at the crack of dawn (well, nearly ... 8am is close enough) to beat the heat. It was still pretty warm even by the time we got to the water, so a little paddle (and nibble of the feet by tiny fish) was a refreshing dip!

I'm SO SO excited to see them tomorrow - It's been a big year for them both having finished uni and graduating, getting new jobs and now getting married and moving in together! There's SO much adventure to come! Here's a few of my favourites from our shoot at Warleigh. Props to these two for climbing fences, having a paddle and braving the busy road walk back to our cars <3

"WE HIRED NAOMI TO SHOOT OUR WEDDING AND SHE WAS INCREDIBLE. NOT ONLY DID HER PICTURES CAPTURE ALL OF THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE DAY, BUT SHE CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS HOW WEDDINGS FLOW – SHE KNEW PRECISELY WHEN TO PULL US ASIDE FOR SOME QUIET COUPLE SHOTS (WITH A FEW SMOKE BOMBS IN TOW!), AND WAS EFFORTLESS IN SHEPHERDING ALL OF OUR RELATIVES INTO PHOTOGENIC FORMATION FOR THE GROUP SHOTS. THE PICTURES WERE SENT TO US IN A BEAUTIFUL WOODEN PRESENTATION BOX TOO. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!"

Heddons Mouth Pre-Wedding Shoot // Victoria + Gary

This shoot feels like it was a lifetime ago already - and yet it was only in October! Victoria and Gary took me on a little adventure down to Heddons Mouth for their pre-wedding shoot. The place holds some special memories for the pair - it was the spot of their first date, and they've tried to make sure they make time to down there at least once a year for a good walk and a bit of time out from the rest of the world.

It was a little further than I'd usually go for a pre-wedding, but I couldn't resist the opportunity for the adventure and to learn a bit more about these two lovely human beings and their relationship. We set off bright and early and wound our way down to the Devon coast. It's such a beautiful spot. No phone signal, down a windy little road and then a short walk to the beach which is rocky and wild. I feel like the windy autumn weather was perfect for the day and I can see why this pair love to head down there to blow the cobwebs away!

Victoria and Gary are getting married tomorrow! YES - it's tomorrow!! I know there's going to be some butterflies and I'm so so excited to see these two get hitched - it's going to be glorious <3

TEWIN BURY FARM SNOWY WINTER WEDDING – LIZ AND DAVE

"WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY GLAD THAT NAOMI WAS SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR WEDDING DAY. HER EXPLORATIVE ATTITUDE, UNOBTRUSIVE NATURE AND WONDERFUL PERSONALITY WERE JUST WHAT WE NEEDED. SHE CAPTURED SO MUCH JOY, LOVE AND LAUGHTER IN ALL OF OUR GUESTS. NAOMI IS SO CREATIVE. SHE WAS ALWAYS OPEN TO OUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS. NOT ONLY DID WE ENJOY HER COMPANY AND WORK ON THE DAY BUT MANY OF OUR GUESTS HAVE SUNG NAOMI’S PRAISES. WE FELT IN SAFE HANDS AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND NAOMI. "

Liz and Dave got married this March in the rustic Tythe Barn, which is part of the beautiful Tewin Bury Farm in Hertfordshire. Their wedding was the first one I'd shot in snow (and almost got snowed in at the end) and although the weather was pretty ace - the main thing I remember from their big day was how joyful it felt. Every little part of the day from the getting ready to the party and big shape throwing at the end was filled to the very brim with so much joy. Yes I'm certain there was some jittery nerves (Pretty sure just about everyone feels those!), and a few worries about guests arriving (or being able to leave) but joy was overflowing from this pair's very beings and spilled over into their crowd and everyone who surrounded them. There was SO MUCH love in the room.

Getting ready

Liz got ready in a room on-site at Tewin Bury Farm with her bridesmaids and the atmosphere was super chilled. There was a bit of bubbly, and a reveal of the dress to Liz's dad before we left - which is always a bit of am emotional moment, added to the emotion of Liz's mum finishing off her outfit by putting on Liz's necklace and there was happy tears all round! I took a few snaps of everyone all fresh and ready, then we all walked together to the ceremony through the snow which was still falling!

The ceremony

The ceremony was an intimate service in the barn. Surrounded by festoon lights and their nearest and dearest, the atmosphere was cosy with the soft light from a whole host of hand made decorations filled with fairy lights . During the ceremony they read their own vows. It was such a personal service and so emotional. Happy tears were definitely shed <3.

The reception

The reception was held in the barn at the venue, so whilst this room was being turned from ceremony to wedding breakfast, guests were free to mill around the ground (if they dared brave the weather) or able to enjoy drinks and canapès in the bar just across from the barn.

They decorated the venue with lots of hand made items - glass bulbs hanging on ribbon with fairy lights inside, along with terrarium centre pieces, lots of gold glitter and festoon lights which created the perfect ambience for their winter wedding. The decorations were a real labour of love with blood, sweat and tears going into making them. Literally!! Liz managed to give herself a pretty impressive cut in her hand when one of the lightbulb decorations broke in her hands and had to go for a jaunt down to A&E!!

The couple

Liz wore two separates as her outfit for the day - a beautiful lace top made by Emma Seychell who works at Shakespeare's Globe with Liz (perks of working with some incredible makers) and the best tulle skirt which was frothy and light and beautiful from Watters by Willoughby. Liz’s shoes, that could not have been better for the weather were Irregular Choice ivory lace up boots with a Victorian feel and she finished the outfit with a necklace from ETSY and some Dinny Hall earrings. Dave wore a dapper suit and tie from T M Lewin and a crisp shirt from Charles Tyrwhitt, brown brogues from Dune, along with a rather nice Skagen watch and some awesome cufflinks from Grateful Dead. Together these two looked perfect.

The couple met in High School and have now been together for 10 years. They got in touch with me in March last year and as I'd been recommended by a previous bride, I knew these two were going to be legends. They said they wanted candid, fun photos of their big day and I loved that they were so relaxed. Being at Liz and Dave's wedding was the absolute best. I felt like I'd been friends with this pair for years. The fact these two trusted me completely and were brave enough to go and have a play in the snow for their couple shoot was completely epic.

Liz and Dave’s wedding was so much fun and they had an incredible crowd to help them celebrate. Thank you so much for having me along!!

"You captured the day as I want to remember it and I am so grateful that I have so many beautiful photographs to reflect on and to remember the best day of my life. We LOVED the box you sent us with the photographs- Thank you "

Yasmin and Owen got married in March at the rustic Quantock Lakes, which is a beautiful venue in Somerset. It was such a happy day and even the weather played ball!…

Glastonbury Tor Pre-Wedding Shoot // Simon + Wendy

Happy Friday everyone - you know what that means? Another glorious wedding is about to happen tomorrow and I'm prepping all the bits and pieces (batteries, cameras, memory cards, snacks, schedules etc etc) before setting off fresh tomorrow morning to see Simon and Wendy.

The last time we met, Simon and Wendy took me to one of their favourite spots for a bimble in the sunshine at Glastonbury Tor. Their wedding venue is a stone's throw away, so I'm super excited to see all the epic plans come together - I think this one is definitely going to be an epic party and melting pot of all the things and people that these two hold dear!

Here's some of the photos from our last trip - something to whet your appetite before the sneaks on Monday!!

Ashton Court Pre-Wedding Shoot // Ros + Jake

Tomorrow is the big day for these guys! It seems like the longest time since we met up at Ashton Court for their Pre-Wedding shoot to talk about how far they'd got with their wedding plans! I can't believe that it was just before Christmas (I remember this because I was sporting a lovely Christmas jumper at the time!!)

I know that tomorrow is going to be an all out knees up with lots of family fun - so I'm really looking forward to it. Ros and Jake are a super down to earth couple and spending time with them was like meeting up with old friends, which is always a good sign. (I basically want to show up to every wedding and feel like I'm a friend who just happens to take some smashing photos of what's going on!)

Here's some of my favourites from our morning at Ashton Court - just before the heavens opened and reminded us what a British December is really like!

Bournemouth Pre-Wedding Shoot // Lizzy + Jack

PHWOAR. What to say about Lizzy and Jack.... A musical powerhouse of a couple, both super creative and working in the arts - I guess you could say I was pretty stoked to be asked to shoot their wedding!! You see, I've known Jack and Lizzy for a long time - back from the days when I used to work in Lush and before Jack and Lizzy were together! It seemed only natural that we all return to Bournemouth for their Pre-Wedding Shoot.

These two love good coffee, so we started in what used to be a regular haunt for them back in the day - South Coast Roast (if you're ever down that way I'd highly recommend it) and then took a little trip over to Hengistbury Head for a good stomp through the woods and on the beach. It was awesome to catch up on all things wedding and life-wise. We also experience the full spectrum of weather types that mother nature could give us from glorious sunshine, to some chilly (errrrm I mean refreshing) rain, a bit of wind (it's always pretty windy at Hengistbury) back to glorious sunshine again!

I have been SO SO excited for their wedding, and ITS TOMORROW - I feel a bit like it's Christmas! This one will be an absolute cracker... sneaks to come next week!! Until then you can spy on their lovely faces below from their Bournemouth Pre-Wedding Shoot.

Westonbirt Arboretum Pre-Wedding Shoot // Beck + Gareth

Corrrr, I feel like I've been waiting forever to blog this one!! Beck and Gareth are getting married on Friday so it's high time I shared a few more of their pre-wedding shoot images from a perfect autumnal afternoon at Westonbirt Arboretum!!

The colours were spot on and getting to know this pair as we wandered around the arboretum was just ace. The pre-wedding shoot time is always a couple of hours well spent! It's nice to get outside and have a little pocket of time to focus on each other away from all the wedmin and everyday life, and to get excited about all your plans coming together!

I'm super excited to see these two again on Friday - and sneaks will be out next week from the big day, but until then feast your eyes on this autumnal goodness!!

Bournemouth Gardens Pre-Shoot // Kate + Tom

Ahh I do love to be beside the seaside!! And although we didn't go to the beach for this shoot, the weather always seems to be that little bit nicer down in sunny Bournemouth.

I met Kate several years ago when we worked in retail together. Kate and Tom were together even back then, and to think of all the changes that have come and gone in between it seemed oddly natural to head back to my home town (Bournemouth) to meet with Kate (who's from Manchester) after both originally meeting in Bath!

We went for a lovely stroll in the autumn sunshine through Bournemouth Gardens, had a good catch up about life in general, and about wedding plans. These two do not stop laughing - I cannot wait for their big day this weekend which I know is going to be filled with laughter from start to finish!

Southbank Pre-Shoot // Liz + Dave

Ahh it's nearly time! Liz and Dave are getting hitched on Saturday, so I thought I'd share a few snaps from their pre-shoot. We worked out our schedules and met up on London's Southbank in November just as the sun was setting and had a little play with the light that was around!

It was such a beautiful autumn evening and a great chance to get to know this awesome pair a bit better! I'm so excited for their big day to see all the plans come together <3

New Forest Pre-Shoot // Yasmin + Owen

Holy crackers and cheese - it is COLD today!! To think just one week ago I was enjoying some sunshine in the New Forest with Yasmin and Owen for their pre-wedding shoot (ahead of their big day next week!!), and was being lulled into a false sense of security that Spring was on its way!

Alas - The Beast From The East had other plans for us all... If you're sat at work today, or at home shivering whilst looking out at the blizzard of wet snow - this one's for you. Go get a cup of tea (to keep your hands warm) and have a little scroll through! It'll be Spring again before you know it!

Intimate Woodland Handfasting Wedding // Joe + Lauren

This is one for all the detail lovers out there - all of you guys looking for some sweet DIY inspiration. This is one for everyone missing that warm sunshine feel on their skin. Joe and Lauren had an intimate woodland handfasting near their home in Hereford, with all the hand crafted decoration and details to boot.

As I look out the window to the rain streaming down, thinking about this wedding brings me all the warm feels. Joe and Lauren took a bit of a risk and got married in a (nearly) completely outside woodland venue in October. But MY OH MY - if there was ever a gamble to have paid off, it was this one. The glorious autumn sunshine *nearly* had me reaching some some suncream (I do tend to burn pretty easily...) and made sure we had a cracker of a day.

Woodland Tipis in Hereford has a variety of tipis and bell tents for guest accommodation and the most beautiful patch of woodland which played host to Joe and Lauren's handfasting ceremony. There was also plenty of space for kids and adults alike to roam around and have a good explore!

Decorations ranged from hundreds of jars with candles in strung up among the trees, hand made wooden signs, bunting, wild flowers in bottles and jars along the paths, so many fairy lights to dream catchers drifting in the breeze. There was a DIY photo booth and frame set up, a serve yourself bar (complete with moonshine and homemade wine) and blankets everywhere for when the sun started to go down!

With just their nearest and dearest attending, Lauren and Joe both got ready onsite with Lauren walking down a woodland aisle accompanied by her dad to meet Joe at at the end. Wellies were on stand by when needed, but with a lot of the ground being pretty soft we had a barefoot bride as much as possible! Dried flower bouquets and button holes (put together by Lauren and the bridesmaids) ensured no one had to worry about the flowers being in water on the day, and a fur coat meant that once it got a little chilly Lauren could still wrap up warm!

Everyone sat down for a hog roast feast and speeches in the afternoon, followed by a bit of time to soak in the October sunshine before evening festivities. Then the evening kicked off with a little acoustic set performed by some of Joe and Lauren's friends, followed by delicious cake (another of The Diamond Baker's triumph) and dancing!

Thank you to Joe and Lauren for having me along for the ride - you pulled off an amazing day which was a sweet sweet joy to be part of!